DETAILS OF NEXT AMBASSADOR SEASON

More than 80 concert events, including appearances by the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, Dame Joan Sutherland, Jessye Norman, Ivo Pogorelich, the Juilliard Quartet and the Irish Rovers, will be offered by the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation during its 1986-87 season.

Three of the events--a concert with orchestra by soprano Joan Sutherland, the return of the Vienna Philharmonic, under Claudio Abbado, and an appearance by Benny Goodman and his Big Band--will take place in Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Another--a dance performance by Rudolf Nureyev & Friends--will be given in Shrine Auditorium. The remainder will all happen at Ambassador Auditorium, Pasadena.

The Philharmonia Orchestra of London, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli, opens the five-concert Great Orchestras series, Sept. 6. It will be followed by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Oct. 22; the Orchestre National de France, led by Lorin Maazel, March 10; the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Abbado, March 15, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, led by music director Kurt Masur, May 5.

The six-event Great Performers series begins Oct. 23, with a different program by the Berlin Philharmonic and Karajan, and continues with an appearance by the Camerata Academica Salzburg, conducted by Sandor Vegh, and with trumpet soloist Maurice Andre. The English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Litton, and with piano soloist Mitsuko Uchida, plays Nov. 23; pianist Ivo Pogorelich, in the second of two recitals at Ambassador during the season, appears Feb. 1; Soviet-emigre violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky and his celebrated mother, pianist Bella Davidovich, give their first Los Angeles duo-recital, April 5, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra, again under Masur, appears May 6.

American soprano Jessye Norman opens the eight-concert Stars of Opera series, Oct. 8, to be followed by the Czech soprano, Edita Gruberova, Nov. 13. Aprile Millo returns to Ambassador, Dec. 14, and basso Samuel Ramey makes an appearance there, Jan. 4. Dame Joan Sutherland, with orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge, appears on the series, in Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Jan. 19. Finnish baritone Jorma Hynninen sings at Ambassador, Feb. 10, followed on the series by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Feb. 22. Swedish baritone Hakan Hagegard concludes the series, March 29.

The keyboard series consists of eight male pianists, beginning Oct. 9 with a recital by Andre Watts. The young Hungarian pianist Dezso Ranki makes his Los Angeles debut in a Liszt Centenary program, Nov. 2, followed by the veteran American pianist, Eugene Istomin, Nov. 20. The young Canadian virtuoso, Louis Lortie, winner of the 1984 Busoni Competition, makes his local debut Dec. 7. Horacio Gutierrez returns to Ambassador, Jan. 11, succeeded by Pogorelich, in the first of two different programs, Jan. 31. Aldo Ciccolini returns Feb. 15, and Dimitris Sgouros, the young Greek pianist who made his Ambassador debut in July, 1984, returns to close the 1986-87 season, April 28.

Two chamber music series will be offered. On the first, consisting of three concerts, the Juilliard Quartet marks its 40th anniversary with appearances in Pasadena, Oct. 28, Jan. 29 and April 23. On Series B, the Guarneri Quartet and Joseph Kalichstein-Ruth Laredo-Sharon Robinson Trio join forces, Nov. 6, to be followed by the Ensemble Vienna-Berlin, a woodwind quintet, Feb. 12, and flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, with an assisting quintet, March 21.

A three-concert International Chamber Orchestras series opens Oct. 29 with a performance by the Camerata Academica Salzburg; continues Nov 22, with the English Chamber Orchestra, and concludes Jan. 22, when Yehudi Menuhin both conducts and acts as violin soloist with the Warsaw Sinfonia.

A Festival of Early Music consists of three events, beginning Nov. 5 with an appearance by The English Concert , directed by Trevor Pinnock. The Waverly Consort returns to Ambassador, Jan. 13. And Christopher Hogwood brings his Academy of Ancient Music to close the series, Feb. 17.

For the five-event Guitar Series, two solo recitalists alternate with three ensembles. Carlos Montoya opens the series Sept. 28. Alexandre Lagoya makes an appearance with flutist Rampal, and guest artists, March 19. Andres Segovia returns April 2, and the series concludes with the Romeros Quartet May 9.

The remaining five series are the four-event Footlight series, including appearances by the New England Ragtime Ensemble (Nov. 15 and 16), Peking Acrobats (Jan. 17 and 18), Ballet Folclorico Nacional de Mexico (Feb. 18 and March 1) and Opera a la Carte (May 16 and 17). Two pops series, including performances by the Klezmorim, Bolcom & Morris, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, Victor Borge, Vienna Choir Boys and the Irish Rovers. An eight-concert, two series lineup called Big Band Era includes appearances by Frankie Laine, Kay Starr, Mel Torme, Tony Martin and Larry Elgart. A film series, Explorama 86-87.

Not on series subscription are three events: A performance by Benny Goodman and his Big Band at Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Nov. 8; four performances at Ambassador Auditorium by Ballet de France, March 5, 7 and 8; and one performance at Shrine Auditorium by Rudolf Nureyev & Friends, March 28.

Information: (818) 304-6161 or (213) 681-0212.